Police Officers Slain in Parkland, WA

Thanksgiving weekend didn't end well for us Tacoma residents. Yesterday, 4 Lakewood PD officers where shot and killed in a coffee shop. The suspect, a Maurice Clemmons is still at large.

Those of us who are, or were in the military, feel a special affinity to police officers. We're cut from similar pieces of cloth.

Here are several stories gleaned from the Seattle Times or Tacoma News Tribune:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010386387_webleschihome29m.html

Here's a running news blog of this heinous crime:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010388783_weblakewoodupdate30m.html

Apparently this guy was a repeat offender:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010389064_webclemency01m.html

A short bio of the 4 officers:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010386301_officers30m.html

Climategate: The Under-Reported Storm

Normally, I despise hackers. Their malicious mischief creates grief for thousands if not, millions of computer users and businesses.

This time however, one hacker may have done the world a favor. On 17 November, someone hacked into the server of the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia, UK. The material was posted on the internet about 2 days later causing an under-reported firestorm. Most American news agencies haven't been running this story...

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2009/11/27/nets-ignore-climategate-while-fnc-cnn-report-cnn-dismisses-relevance

...even though it's already posted on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climategate

Apparently, data was suppressed that didn't fit the "hockey stick" model. That is, the rapid increase of global temperatures due to today's industrial activity.

Most sites are giving credit to the Telegraph UK for breaking this story:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

Since then, Mark Steyn has rolled-in on this with several posts:

November 26th on the Hugh Hewitt Show:

http://hughhewitt.com/transcripts.aspx?id=5f9f2448-aa3d-40cb-8e8f-e167d0e06863

November 25th:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2MyNGI4NjU1NGY1OGM2YTYyZmRiOWQ2ZTMwNDkxNDc=

Steyn, of course, isn't the only commentator raising the hue & cry.

Michelle Malkin joins the fight:

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/23/climategate-both-sides-of-the-pond-demand-probes-into-data-manipulation-scandal/

And of course, the man President Obama doesn't want us to listen to--Rush Limbaugh:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_112509/content/01125106.guest.html

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_112509/content/01125109.guest.html

Of course the "warmmongers," as Steyn calls them, are claiming this is a smear campaign to derail the upcoming climate conference in Copenhagen.

But to most of us like-minded folks, this verifies what we've already suspected, that "global warming" is a ploy to:

a. Hamper the economies of developed nations and,

b. Regulate every aspect of a person's life.

But hopefully, the climatologists are right in one aspect. That the global temperatures ARE rising--for them.

The Ft Hood Shooting: A Case of Terminal PC

In the past, my like-minded friends and I have said that Political Correctness (PC) will kill us.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the shooting at Ft Hood, tragically, illustrates our concern.

Mark Steyn makes several good points on how PC allowed Maj Hasan to murder his fellow soldiers, despite all the red flags he was blatantly waving:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/11/26/major-nidal-hasan-had-an-enabler/

In a previous article Mark commented that if this took place during the Cold War and Hasan expressed empathy towards the USSR or Communist China, an investigation would have opened up right away on Hasan.

My how times have changed...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Especially to our men & women in uniform who are away from their families and in harm's way.

(Image by Norman Rockwell)

Mark Steyn shares his views on what we Americans have to be thankful for:

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2662/30/

The "Problem" with Palin?

Somehow I missed the original photo of Sarah Palin in Runner's World. From the picture alone, I don't see a "problem" that needs to be solved.

Seriously, what makes Sarah Palin so popular among conservatives is that her ideas and attitudes resonate with us commoners--unlike the bi-coastal, liberal elites, who look down their noses at the masses.

Newsweek's issue hit the stands earlier this week, and Palin, in her usual fiesty style, fired back:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091117/pl_ynews/ynews_pl984

Also this week, Palin kicked-off her tour for her book Going Rogue.

I don't remember any book causing such a furor, where opponents take out all the stops BEFORE the book is even published!

Apparently AP News assigned 11 fact checkers to comb through Palin's debut memoir:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTE2YmEyMDZkM2Y3NjAzYWZjOTRmYjExZDg4MGE0NzE=

Not to mention the anti-Rogue book, Going Rouge:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33624898/ns/today-today_books/

No matter what Sarah Palin does, "Palin Derangement Syndrome" will reach epidemic proportions among liberals.

Will, she run for president in 2012? Who knows.

But as I've told my friends, any woman who runs marathons and is a lifetime member of the NRA is my kind of gal!

The Obama Apology Tour in Pictures

Remember this?

After the uproar over bowing to the Saudi king, you'd think Obama and his handlers would have learned.

But no, Obama continues to use weak body language while meeting with some of the world's leaders, this time to the Japanese emperor.

Mark Steyn's new title for Obama: The world's "superbower."

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ODgxNTQyNDg1NTE3MDA3M2IxYTQ4YzY2MzRhYmI2YmU=

Legal Big-Top at the Big Apple

This past Friday, Eric Holder, US Attorney General announced that Khalid Sheihk Mohammed and 4 other co-conspirators will be brought to New York City to stand trial.

The Wall Street Journal rolled-in on this foolish (and politically motivated) decision:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574533622533459520.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook

Former NYC Mayor Rudi Giuliani also rolled in on this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574533622533459520.html?mod=wsj_share_facebook

Comrade Karla had this to say:

This will go down as one of the great ill-advised moves in history. And for the record, I predicted this would happen if the Dems got in power. Fundamentally this should not be a politicized issue, but it's been clear since 9/11 that a goodly chunk of the body politic doesn't get the war thing.

And I put in my $0.02:

And "...the war thing..," is: Our enemies believe they are at war with us. So our opinions as to wether we are at war with them or not, doesn't matter. In a war, captured enemies are held prisoner until the war is over. As for war crimes, we didn't even need the '06 Military Commissions Act--the precedence was set at the Nuremburg Trials. This will be a complete and total circus.

In Less than Two Generations, We Went from This...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE5UFLoBlBA

(The Patton Speech Scene was taken down due to copyright issues)

...to THIS:

“What happened at Fort Hood was a tragedy,” said General Casey, the US Army’s Chief of Staff, “but I believe it would be an even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casualty here.”

--General Casey, the US Army Chief of Staff, comments after the Ft Hood shooting.

Mark Steyn rolls-in with a scathing commentary:

http://dakotabeacon.com/entry/mark_steyn_jihad_and_the_scandal_of_the_tragedy_of_diversity/

"Terrorism" not Found in PC Dictionary

Yesterday, at the funeral service for the soldiers killed at Ft Hood, President Obama told mourners that the violence committed by Hasan was "incomprehensible."

Really? Seems pretty comprehensible to me.

Hasan:

1. Contacted Anwar al-Awlaki, a spiritual advisor for Al-Qaeda, MULTIPLE TIMES.

2. Made anti-American and pro-jihadi comments both in front of coworkers and on-line.

Rather than drone on, I'll let Michelle Malkin roll-in with some of the details:

http://townhall.com/columnists/MichelleMalkin/2009/11/11/blind_diversity_equals_death

David Horowitz, of Newsreal, sums it up well--that even at a memorial service for the fallen, our the President of the United States is unable to utter the words "Islamic terrorism":

http://newsrealblog.com/2009/11/11/obama-unable-to-utter-two-simple-words-islamic-terrorism/

Memorial Service for 7 Ft Lewis Soldiers

Vice President Joe Biden presided over the memorial service of 7 Ft Lewis soldiers killed in Afghanistan:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010246328_fortlewis11m.html

Happy Veterans Day!

The origins of Veterans Day (also known as Remembrance Day in Canada and the UK):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day

"Tear Down This Wall!"

The Berlin Wall, a barrier constructed, not as a bastion against foreign invasion, but to keep the citizens of East Berlin from escaping, fell 20 years ago today.

A few weeks ago Mark Steyn called this the greatest mass-liberation in mankind's history.

And yet, when it comes to discussing true freedom, like the dissidents in Iran a few months ago, our president is silent.

Steyn's homage to the one president who help bring about the collapse of the Berlin Wall:

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2617/30/

Reagan's Berlin Wall Speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXMgF8

The Al Qaeda--Ft Hood Connection

This is a long post with several links. Since the shooting at Ft. Hood it's been one WTFO!? day after another...

Apparently there IS a connection between Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, and Al-Qaeda.

The story first broke on ABC News. Here's the link to it via FOX News:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,573166,00.html

What's even worse, is that it appears the CIA knew about Hasan's attempts to contact Al-Qaeda HQ for months:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/09/intelligence-agencies-deny-sitting-information-fort-hood-shooter/

And while the CIS is in full CYA (Cover Your "Butt") Mode, what is DHS doing now that we know there was an Islamist extrimist within the Army's Officer Corps?

Their more concerned about "anti-Muslim backlash" instead of protecting law-abiding Americans:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/08/napolitano-warns-anti-muslim-backlash/

Ever since the last shot rang out at Ft Hood the mainstream media (MSM) has done all kinds of contortions to deny any existance of terrorism as Hasan's motive. Causes such as bullying, racism and even some form of, and as yet unheard of, "viral PTSD" (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). That is, somehow Hasan contracted PTSD after conducting counseling sessions with soldiers returning from their deployments ("downrange" as we call it).

Bruce Bower of Pajamas Media called the MSM on it's collective spin:

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/fort-hood-massacre-a-day-of-courage-and-cowardice/

So wherein lies the problem?

Mark Steyn points to a "hole in our strategy":

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hasan-218107-maj-american.html

Mark also has a good summation of the fallout from all this in his In the Corner, NRO post:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTg2NjkyOGE1OTY2YjhhOTI0NWU3MjA5OWU0YTI4ZDg=

The on-going news from all this generated a lot of message traffic among my friends. Here's some of the best comments from Comrade Karla & his dad:

First, the good comrade:

I thought Chris Matthews "we may never know what motivated him to do this" was the dumbest quote of the weekend, but this one tops it:

“As great a tragedy as this was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well,” the Army Chief of Staff also said Sunday."

Yes...nevermind 12 KIA and 30 WIA. It'd really be sad if our "diversity" got harmed. They must really brainwash these guys nowadays.

Karla senior asks:

What about further Muslim anti-US attacks? Should we be warned about that?

Then he goes on to discuss terrorism and the Army's buck-passing operation:

The Army had plenty of evidence to warrant a closer look at Hasan, regardless of the critical shortage in his career field. Whatever the underlying reason, Hasan committed an act of terrorism. Whether God tells a person to do it or something else prompts him, an act of terrorism is an act of terrorism. Period. Hasan was a commissioned officer in the Army, voluntarily, nobody drafted him. Evidence suggests he had sufficient intelligence to complete a course in a specialized field of medicine. The Army was either unable to see he was, or was becoming a serious problem -- clearly he was at least becoming an annoyance – and failed to deal with it. If our military is so hamstrung by inefficiency or so blinded by what they consider essential requirements, and drop the ball, as in Hasan’s case, they are still responsible for what happens as a result. If they accept what might be considered reasonable risk, and, for whatever reason, take the risk, just as they might be applauded if the risk pans out, so must they pay the consequences if it fails.

If this weren't enough Victor Davis Hanson gives us a glimpse of the next 3 years:

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson110409.html

USS New York Commissioned Today!

As I mentioned in the previous post: Sometimes we need to beat ploughshares into swords.

From the NY Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/11/07/2009-11-07_uss_new_york_comes_to_life.html

The USS New York's Official Website:

http://www.ussny.org/

Ship's motto: Never Forget.

We won't!

Shooting at Ft Hood

Yesterday Major Nidal Malik Hasan went on a shooting rampage at a processing center in Ft Hood, TX.

Details are still emerging, but as of now 13 soldiers are dead, 28 wounded while Maj Hasan was wounded (initially thought to have been killed) when confronted by Officer Munley.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_fort_hood_shooting

Some of the shooter's backstory:


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_fort_hood_shooting_suspect

As usual the mainstream media (MSM) continues to ponder the "alleged shooter's" motives.

Let's see:

Someone advocating that his fellow Muslims "resist aggression" + selecting a deployment outprocessing center as his target = a rather clear motive to me.

Terrorism is an act of politically motivated violence. It appears Major Hasan's views against our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan were well-known. Opening fire inside a center processing soldiers for deployment would be a prime location to "make a statement."

Federal law enforcement agencies have yet to call this an act of terrorism because they view such acts with a narrow focus. That is, for them to consider an incident to be a terrorist act, the perpetrator(s) have to be members of a terrorist group. They don't consider what Mark Steyn calls "Sudden Jihad Syndrome."

Prelude of Things to Come?

Republicans take the Governor's mansions in VA & NJ.

This may be a flash-in-the-pan, or a foreshadowing of the 2010 election.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_election_rdp

Either way, unlike the Tea Parties and other grassroots protests against the Obama Administration's plans, this is a clear, politcal shot across the bow.